1. Dealing with Student Misconduct

2. David Malpas and Sue Bailey Deputy Academic Registrars

3. Support within Academic Registry Sue Bailey, Deputy Academic Registrar S.Bailey@mdx.ac.ukS.Bailey@mdx.ac.uk, ext. 14438 Schools: Business; Law; Science and Technology David Malpas, Deputy Academic Registrar D.Malpas@mdx.ac.ukD.Malpas@mdx.ac.uk, ext. 15830 Schools: Art and Design; Health and Education; Media and Performing Arts Minda Rayit, Student Advice Officer M.Rayit@mdx.ac.ukM.Rayit@mdx.ac.uk, ext. 14601 07/06/2016Slide 3

4. Role of Deputy Academic Registrars Offer support, advice and guidance – don’t hesitate to contact David, Sue or Minda Deal with cases which cannot be dealt with at the local level; note, the majority of our cases are not within the teaching / learning environment Investigate and if appropriate convene disciplinary panels If appropriate, issue written warnings and apply penalty points to a student’s MISIS record Note: a second panel is rare. The deterrent works. 07/06/2016Slide 4

5. Student conduct and discipline rules http://www.mdx.ac.uk/Assets/regs2011-All- Student%20conduct%20and%20discipline%20rules.pdfhttp://www.mdx.ac.uk/Assets/regs2011-All- Student%20conduct%20and%20discipline%20rules.pdf Statement of Student Conduct Definition of misconduct Students agree to comply as part of the enrolment process Roles: School (local level; management of the learning environment); Academic Registry (Consideration of misconduct and warnings) 07/06/2016Slide 5

6. Guide to warnings likely to be applied WarningsAgainst propertyAgainst the personAgainst the work of the University Against the good name…. (Reputation) Written Warning (0 Warning Point) Negligent damage. Inconsiderate behaviour. Disruption of teaching / learning environment. Offensive or disruptive behaviour (halls) Minor Warning (1 Warning Point) Negligent damage. Repeated Inconsiderate behaviour. Harassment: verbal, physical. Repeated disruption of teaching / learning environment. Repeated offensive or disruptive behaviour (halls) Serious Warning (2 Warning points) Petty theft excluding cash Repeated Harassment Refusal to provide statutory info. False and vexatious allegation. Grave Warning (3 Warning points) Theft of cash, deliberate damage. Intimidation: verbal, physical. Repeated disruption of teaching. Use/issue fraudulent documentation Suspension/ Expulsion (4 Warning points) Repeat theft or deliberate damage. Physical violenceMajor disruption: academic, university Various 07/06/2016Slide 6

7. Support from MDXSU Belinda Okuya, Advice Coordinator MDXSU offers students advice on how to: Make a formal and informal appeal to the University; Make a complaint regarding your course; Respond to an allegation of academic misconduct; Represent you at a University disciplinary hearing. Tel: 020 8411 5365 Email: b.okuya@mdx.ac.ukb.okuya@mdx.ac.uk Excellent and close working relationship between Academic Registry and MDXSU 07/06/2016Slide 7

8. Dealing with misconduct at a local level Pilot in Sheppard Library in 2012/13 Problem – low level noise disruption DARs worked with senior management within LSS to empower LSS staff to address the issue. LSS approach the student(s) and introduce themselves as a member of staff. Remind them that they are in a silent area of the library and that they are being disruptive. Explain to them that they are breaching the student conduct and discipline rules. Ask the student to please be quiet or go to another area of the library. [If the student(s) respond aggressively or are verbally abusive please ignore the following steps and alert security immediately] 07/06/2016Slide 8

9. Dealing with misconduct at a local level Escalation - if student(s) continues to be disruptive (alert security 0208 411 6200 (emergency number) so they are on standby) Approach the student(s) with another member of staff to ask for their name/student number holding a radio to inform security if needed. Having the student conduct and discipline rules to hand helps the student(s) the outcomes of breaching the rules. Explain to the student(s) that this is their last and final verbal warning and to stop or leave the silent area otherwise security will be informed. 07/06/2016Slide 9

10. Dealing with misconduct at a local level Again - if the student(s) respond aggressively or are verbally abusive please alert security immediately If student(s) continues to be disruptive: Let security know so that the student(s) can be escorted out the library and their name/student number noted for the incident report. 07/06/2016Slide 10

11. Dealing with misconduct at a local level What happens next? Security will email the incident report to the following members of staff who will act as the Student conduct and disciplinary nominee: Ruth Moore, Deputy Director, Library and Student Support Matthew Lawson, Assistant Director, LR Academic Support Nick Bevan, Director of Library and Student Support The nominee(s) will liaise with Minda Rayit to investigate the student(s) record for any previous breach of Student conduct and discipline rules. Depending on the severity of the incident a warning letter will be issued copying in Minda Rayit to write the information onto MISIS. If the student breaches the rules again this could lead to a more formal disciplinary hearing involving the Deputy Academic Registrar. 07/06/2016Slide 11

12. Outcome of Student Misconduct 2012/2013 07/06/2016Slide 12

13. Number of disciplinaries by school in 2012/2013 07/06/2016Slide 13

14. Case Study EE (3 rd Year) and CB (2 nd Year) are friends and Art & Design students. During the Summer vacation, off campus, CB films EE under the influence of a legal high. CB wants to use the film as part of his work; EE wants the film to be destroyed. As an academic teaching in the area you become aware of an atmosphere between the two students. Fellow students make you aware of a verbal altercation between EE and CB which happened during the evening. Reports suggest EE was the aggressor. Security report that, on occasions, EE and CB are refusing to leave the building at closing time. What action might you take? 07/06/2016Slide 14

15. Possible actions Talk to CB and EE; make them aware of the Student Conduct and Discipline rules and what’s expected of them. Seek advice from DARs Make CB and EE aware of the support they can receive from MDXSU Mediation, to resolve the issue of the film Require CB and EE not to entry each other’s studio space. Remind CB and EE (and all other students) of the expectations on them at closing time. 07/06/2016Slide 15